(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backlight assembly having an improved supporting member and a display device provided with the backlight assembly, and more particularly, to a backlight assembly having a supporting member whose structure supports an upper portion of the backlight assembly and a display device provided with the backlight assembly.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In semiconductor technologies, liquid crystal display (LCD) devices have been decreased in size and weight and enhanced in performance, and demands for such display devices have increased explosively.
LCD devices employing an LCD panel have advantages such as small size, small weight, and low power consumption, and have become attractive as a substitute for cathode ray tubes (CRTs). LCD devices are used in almost all information processing apparatuses requiring a display device.
The LCD devices change a specific molecular alignment of liquid crystal to different molecular alignments with the application of a voltage and convert a change in optical characteristics, such as birefringence, optical rotary power, dichroism, and optical scattering, of liquid crystal cells emitting light due to the change in molecular alignment into a visual change. That is, the LCD device is a light receiving display device which displays data using modulation of light in the liquid crystal cells.
Display devices such as LCD devices are now applied to digital televisions having a screen size of 42 inches or more. The increase in size of the LCD devices increases the sizes of components of the LCD devices. For example, the backlight assembly for supplying light to an LCD panel is gradually enlarged. Therefore, the areas of optical sheets and a diffusing plate, which are positioned in the upper portion of the backlight assembly and enhance the brightness of light, are gradually increased.
The optical sheets and the diffusing plate are provided inside the backlight assembly by fixing the edges thereof. As the areas of the optical sheets and the diffusing plate are gradually increased, their middle portions have a tendency to sink or sag. The sinking phenomenon has a negative effect on the brightness of light, and in addition, the definition of an image is thus reduced due to deterioration in light characteristics.
In order to solve these problems, a cone-shaped support is provided on the bottom surface of the backlight assembly to support the upper portion of the backlight assembly. The sinking of the optical sheets and the diffusing plate can be prevented in this way. When the upper portion of the backlight assembly is supported by the cone-shaped support, point-shaped spots are generated at the time of assembling the panel, quality testing, and reworking.
In addition, since the cone-shaped support has no elasticity, the stress resulting from the cone-shaped support acts on internal components of the backlight assembly at the time of movement of the components due to conveyance and so on. Therefore, the stress generates pressure, thereby damaging or scratching the internal components.